Boosters for all adults in next seven weeks - but more vaccinators needed

Friday 03 December 2021

The States aim to provide 30,000 booster vaccines between now and the end of January - including one to every adult - but more vaccinators are needed to help reach this target.

The vaccination programme is being accelerated in response to the discovery of the omicron variant of covid-19, which is now present in at least two dozen countries, including the UK.

The latest figures, released by the States on Thursday afternoon, showed a new high for the number of known active cases - 894 with 240 people awaiting test results. The total number of covid-19 cases in the Bailiwick since the pandemic began is now just under 4,300. But so far the current surge in cases has not led to an increase in the number of hospital admissions, of which there are two.

The island's Medical Director, Dr Peter Rabey, said the vaccination programme continues to be essential.

“An analysis of the individuals who have been admitted into hospital in this most recent wave shows that the 8% of unvaccinated adults in Guernsey have accounted for 41% of the hospital admissions related to covid-19 [and] 71% of those requiring high dependency unit or intensive care unit admissions,” said Dr Rabey.

“Some of the patients who required intensive care have had lengthy stays in hospital which means that these specialist beds cannot be used for other patients.”

Pictured: The Committee for Health & Social Care has released details of the accelerated vaccination programme following the discovery of a new variant of covid-19 in an increasing number of countries. 

But the States are appealing for more registered health professionals to come forward as vaccinators to help increase the pace of vaccinations over the next four to six weeks. 

"We need to boost as many people as possible as quickly as we can," said the States. "If you have the necessary professional registration and you are interested in supporting the Bailiwick covid-19 vaccination programme, please email CovidVaccine@gov.gg to discuss and learn more detail about the opportunity."

Deputy Al Brouard, President of the Committee for Health & Social Care, said that Guernsey's vaccination programme remains consistent with the advice of the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).  

“We have followed and continue to follow JCVI advice on these matters and will be accelerating our own programme to ensure as many islanders as possible have maximum covid-19 protection before the end of the year,” said Deputy Brouard.

“Once again, I would like to thank the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture, along with Beau Sejour users, for their patience as we continue to utilise the leisure centre to deliver this programme."

Pictured: Deputy Al Brouard, President of the Committee for Health & Social Care, said that his Committee was quickly following the best available advice "to accelerate the deployment of covid-19 vaccines and to raise levels of protection across the population".

The States are asking for support from the whole community in their effort to offer the booster vaccine to all adults by the end of January - in just 52 days' time - and to offer a second dose of the vaccine to children aged 12 to 15 with a 12-week gap between their first and second doses.

When offered the vaccine, people will be provided with a date and time and asked to be at the vaccination centre within a one-hour slot. The vaccination centre at Beau Sejour will be open seven days a week between 09:30 and 20:00. Employers are being asked to support the vaccine effort.

“Employers are asked to support the booster programme as much as they can to enable their staff to attend for their appointments as required,” said the Committee for Health & Social Care.

“We appreciate that in some work settings this is not going to be possible. But, where it is, we ask that you do everything you can to support this vaccine booster push across the island. Ensuring as many members of your staff are vaccinated as possible will not only have a positive impact on the community but also on your workplace over the winter months.” 

Pictured: During the current wave of infections, there have been 17 covid-related admissions to the Princess Elizabeth Hospital. Ten were vaccinated and seven were unvaccinated.

Express has asked the States to clarify the order of vaccinations after being contacted late yesterday by the mother of a vulnerable adult with physical and learning disabilities who was concerned at the time it had taken for her daughter to get her booster vaccine. 

Melanie Harvey-Alan's daughter received her second vaccine in April. But she was unable to book her booster dose for weeks after she was eligible to receive it. She is employed in a public-facing role in retail and had to be signed off work while she waited for her booster jab.

"She hadn't been able to have her booster done because they said they were doing them by age rather than vulnerability status," said Ms Harvey-Alan. 

"It's irrelevant if anyone is classed as vulnerable if they are doing them by age. When I then called, I was told I was not the first person who has raised this. 

"It shouldn't be like this. We shouldn't have people signed off work waiting for vaccinations."